Definition

One must make a distinction however: when dragged into prominence by half poets, the result is not poetry, nor till the autocrats among us can be “literalists of the imagination”—above insolence and triviality and can present for inspection, imaginary gardens with real toads in them, shall we have it.

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Thursday, March 7, 2013

Artistic Interpretations with Margaret - Yemaya Oshun

Hello Toad's and fellow poets. I, Margaret, will be hopping in here from time to time to bring you a poetic challenge incorporating original art work. For the near future, I hope to mine my daughter's artwork.

The above is Chelsea's finished body painting depicting the African Mythological Goddess, Yemaya Oshun. It is her wish all poems in some way stick to this theme.

Google this name and many versions evolve:

1) Oshun was an African Mythological Queen of great beauty, sweetness, and lively nature and daughter to Yemaya, the goddess of all waters.

2) Yemaya Oshun is one persona depicting all described.

3) Oshun is Mother of the African sweet or fresh waters and her mother, Yemaya, is mother of the salt waters.

The list goes on. I thought about linking a few articles, but decided to let you google this name and do the research.

I invite you to visit Chelsea's blog post HERE showing a bit of the process in creating the above image.

Chelsea has given permission for her artwork above to be copied and used with poems created for this challenge if they are linked back to this post using the Linky below. There is a wide berth of creative expression, however, if Chelsea deems a poem tasteless and offensive, she retains the right to have the image removed.

Please apply what you learn in any poetic form you like and please share your artistic interpretations by linking up below and visiting others. I can't WAIT to see what your beautiful minds create.

22 comments:

This post moved me to stay awake, but I thank you for the inspiration, Margaret and Chelsea. It feels appropriate to research and think about Yemaya Oshun on the dawning of international women's day. Have a happy one. Invoke the ancestors!

This is really quite a big topic for one day. So many versions of this name. Please, I'd love it if you take your time and return at a later date. Truly, better late than never. We also have Open Link Monday.

My poem just flowed today, pardon the pun, because I can relate to a goddess of all waters. My father, who wrote about the rivers of our native British Columbia, often referred to "the river gods" and I knew just what he meant.K

This song wings its way to you, The most beautiful history of a love~ It is a love letter the wild wind paintsOver my voice, and will not find Its waiting empty mailbox~

There’s nothing more exquisite Than what I never had,And nothing more beloved Than what I lost~Forgive me, please,If today I seek and sift Through the wetland sand For that spotless full moonThat with murmurs scratched the sea with moss~

If I once was an errant homeless bird,I have forgotten those colliding seasIn the nesting of your arms ajar;If I once was beautiful and another blessed,It was when you entwined me‘round your warm neck and breast....

If I once was wise in love,I learned it from your songbird lips,If I once loved, if one day I truly loved, After having made love,It was only because of your kiss~

Your memories by the day become sweeter,For the past only took half of you...Your shadow still rests in my bedBetween my flattened pillow and my depressed solitude.

I am a bit late with my link and with the poem as well for that matter. Decided to post it anyway. I ended up writing about it kind of spontaneously without really thinking about writing to the prompt. Then after I had written it, it seemed to me to speak to the photo and the painting and the idea of the water goddess.

Margaret,Your daughter's art is absolutely amamzing! Everything you post is just spectacular. I loved working on this because the image was compelling in itself but I also learned some mythology. Thanks so much and sorry I was so late in posting!

to Girlwiththepen: Your poem brought tears to my eyes. Beautiful in its longing.

Wow! We are swimming in negativity from Facebook posts to news outlets. We can't climb out of the pit if we're always feeding on rea...

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